comp plus shifter. new vs old

**Tommy** · #1 12-14-2009, 11:24 PM

I bought a new comp plus shifter for the Nova and am having some difficulty with shifting in and out of reverse. the trans worked fine with the old one and the rods are all the same. All forward gears work okay. My old shifter had threaded holes for the shift handle to bolt to, the new one you have to use nuts and bolts... I don't like that. Anyone notice any issues with the new shifters? I am also not a real big fan of the mount they send that clamps to the tail shaft and bolts between the tailshaft and trans mount... Anyway, my biggest issue is that it is binding up badly in reverse. I'm open ears ...

Tommy

**TDW** · #2 12-14-2009, 11:49 PM

I am certain there is a big difference in the "new vs "old" Hurst shifters. The one in my 69 Chevelle was installed immediately after the car arrived at the Dealership when it was new. That shifter is 100 times better than the one I bought new 2 years ago for the 55 Nomad. The one in my 70 Nova is a real early one too. It too is a much tighter one than the new stuff. I have a brand new one from 1985 I bought as a spare, which I haven't installed in anything yet, but it "feels" a ton better than the new one does. The new one in the 55, I have had to readjust at least 4 times to get it to shift perfect all the time. It seems like a few hard or power shifts and it is out of whack a few turns on the adjusters. I use a piece of 1/4" round stock for the alingment hole. It fits pretty tight. Give yours another shot at adjusting and see what it does.

**PxTx** · #3 12-14-2009, 11:55 PM

It isn't something obvious like having to now push down to get into the reverse gate, is it? I know my old Supershifter without the reverse lock-out required you to do that.

I know older Comp+ shifters you just had to push a little harder to get into the gate. My only other thought is to verify that all is adjusted right with the neutral gates. They still use a pin to do this, right?

**69 Post Sedan** · #4 12-15-2009, 01:10 AM

I read somewhere on Team Chevelle that the new shifters are made in China!

That may have something to do with it!

Postsedan · #5 12-15-2009, 02:18 AM

Oh that erks me!

Dan.

**300deluxeL79** · #6 12-15-2009, 03:56 AM

bought a comp plus shifter earlier this year...sure enough, made in china.

even worse, i paid 'made in usa' price.

x Baldwin Motion · #7 12-15-2009, 04:47 AM

The Hurst website no longer touts "Made In USA" I believe the comp plus I bought in 2005 is also 4NJNK.

**markjohnson** · #8 12-15-2009, 05:43 AM

I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but I've never liked that white plastic alignment/adjustment pin that comes with Hurst shifters. Some people use an allen wrench, some people use a drill bit. I have a small length of slightly over-size round stock (about .255) that I like to use to tighten up things and align everything up just a tad bit more. I've also started using Long Shifters instead of Hurst lately. They're about $100 or so more than a Hurst, but are very high quality.

**Salvatore** · #9 12-15-2009, 07:09 AM

Probably better to buy an older Hurst shifter from Ebay and rebuild it or have it rebuilt.

**Tommy** · #10 12-15-2009, 01:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Probably better to buy an older Hurst shifter from Ebay and rebuild it or have it rebuilt.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to watch alot of hurst shifters and parts for them on ebay... I always wondered why they fetched nice money... I guess I should have been trying to buy some of it. I worried with the silly thing for a while yesterday and am now ready to install the old one. I too paid made in USA money for a new Chinese shifter evidently.

What about the mounts? what do you guys think of the direct mounts vs the new one that wraps around the whole thing. It raises the rear of the trans a little.

Tommy